Coaxial cables or metallic tubes or pipes, which are externally covered with an insulating material, are usually stripped locally of the insulating material and contacted in electrical conducting fashion with a contacting device for lightening protection or potential equalization purposes. For example, a clamp-like contacting device is installed on the conducting core of the electrical conductor in a position where the conducting core is free or has been freed from said insulating material. While the contacting device provides an electrically conducting contact for lightening protection purposes it is also intended to protect the (bared) conducting core from external influences, e.g. water, dust, or the like. Therefore, the problem arises to provide a thorough electrical contact with low contact resistance on the one hand, while sealing the contact position as hermetically as possible against external influences.
In the prior art, the above-mentioned technical problems have been tackled by using clamp-like contacting devices which typically comprise a contact element for providing an electrically conducting connection with the conducting core, a grounding cable connected with the contact element, and a main body which mechanically holds the contact element in place and hermetically seals the contacting position against an entry of humidity, dust, or the like.
However, contacting devices of the above-mentioned kind do not achieve satisfactory sealing properties in case of tolerances of the insulating material. Furthermore, the electrical contact between said contact element and the conducting core suffers from high contact resistance if an outer surface of the conducting core is not smooth, e.g., in case of a braided or woven outer conducting layer.